4 posts tagged “second life”
Hello,
A while back I was investigating Secondlife for what it had on offer in the way of music. Crap was what I found with very little success in the way of live performances. Everytime I attended an arranged performance it was always dogged with technical problems and never a good musical experience.
After attending a couple of lame concerts and witnessing bedroom songwriting at it's worst I gave up for a while.
Now I've come accross Chouchou. This is pretty much exactly what I was hoping to come accross in the SL community. An act which exists only within SL and the entire product, promo etc exists only in this user generated world. Take a look at one of their videos, 'shot' in secondlife (wonder what camera they used? :-)
I find some of the piano work on there a bit reminscent of Stan Tracey's Under Milk Wood in it's very minimalist yet quite progressive nature. Generally a quite emmersive sound, epic in scale but not overpowering with the various layers of reverbarating piano and processed digital hisses. (What?!?!?! I'll settle down in a min, bear with me)
I guess rather than seeing this as involving records/albums/units/whatever you want to call them, I think Chouchou's approach is more focused on how people consume and interact with their music. For me I find their videos and music all part and parcel of the same thing, like an AV art installation. I will get back onto the whole SL thing just to get a look at what they are doing on line.
Be sure to take a look at their blog and have a listen to their stuff. Possibly lacking a place in today's commercial music market but definitely good to listen to at the right moment. I'll be sticking some of this on my MP3 for those quiet moments when I need some musical mescaline.
So tonight's the night.
I haven't actually spoken to Chalky but he sent me an email saying that's it defninitely on.
I managed to get all the bits for the handicam this morning. I haven't tested it yet, but I'll make sure all is good before going which is unusually organised of me. I'll be using my diary next. So be sure to make yourselves pretty. ;-)
As there are a few bands on I'm assuming it will probably start around 7, though I don't really know. Tommy Flynn's nearest tube is Mornington Crescent, or a short walk from Camden Town.
If you do make it down and want to say hi I'll be easy to spot. This week I'm sporting a rather silly beard, and I'll be filming the gig whilst trying to keep a pint of John Smith's steady (has taken years of practise). It wasn't a deliberate beard, it's an accidental beard (two potential band names there?) so it has to come off tomorrow.
Do any of you use Second Life? Yes, I know, it's geeky, a bit wierd etc etc. But I want to see how live music works in there (apparently it does) People do live streams from gigs in there. Could be a fun thing to do.
Getting a few bands hooked up with a gig has reminded me how much I miss putting gigs together. I'm thinking maybe I should start again. I'll start looking at venue's...
Today is a good day, my S.A.D. is under control as it's wonderfully sunny and I'm listening to the Yeah Yeah Yeah's
(Fever to Tell) before going through the submissions so currently bopping around my chair and air drumming with eyes screwed shut. Which is quite difficult whilst typing a blog.
Hope all is good with you. If you're about tonight be sure to say hello and if I have any cash left I'll get beer. :-)
IB
Those of you who've spoken to me for longer than 3 mins could probably guess that I'm a bit of a hyperchondriac at times. I'm happy to admit that because that's almost like a real desease/condition which would justify the years of moaning various partners and family members have had to endure.
I think I've grown out of this pretty much as I'm so busy and preoccupied these days that I wouldn't notice that mole that had changed shape, wierd rash or just that feeling that something 'isn't quite right'. However, there is one condition that I think I do suffer. Seasonal Affective Disorder.
This would explain the sickeningly good mood I'm in today and probably really getting on the tits of my colleagues. It's sunny. It's the only sunny day this week apparently and I'm going to enjoy it dammit. Currently singing along to Ben Kweller and rocking my head in a beatles-esque/David Grey fashion. I was singing along to Vox stuff, but I don't know the words and I think others found the sound excruciating. To save myself from lynching I changed the tunes.
Even though I'm broke till Friday nothing is going to annoy me today. Just had a great lunch that someone else got me which was brilliant and had a good chat. Was meant to see Emma Cantons tonight at a very interesting looking venue but found out that she's doing next week aswell. Going to head down then as I want an evening playing on my much negelcted piano and guitars.
Managed to get addicted to Second Life again arrggh. I'm in the process of building a house and really going overboard on the detail. It's not real, I'm not really the owner of a wonderful glass sided house with bar and music venue, and I can't really fly either. I can see how people get hopelessly sucked in forever.
Blogcock did a great post the other day about the Rascals, it's the video part I'm impressed with as I'm getting well into this video editing malarky. :-)
Spent the weekend planning my San Francisco trip too. Getting obsessed about travel, maybe because I never really have before. Never been on holiday by myself before so have never planned ahead. This time I'm really going overboard. I've already got several things booked including a visit to the Ralph Gracie Jujitsu academy and a health spa. :-)
Oh yes, whilst I remember. A mate of mine is looking for a couple of last minute bands for a gig in Camden this Saturday, it's a good venue. Let me know if you'd be interested and I'll get it sorted.
Not really but it feels like it....
I've spend most of the weekend going from the begginning to the end of all the tracks submitted so far. Think I got most of the way through as I started recognising tracks from the last time I did it (there was only half the amount of people last time). A couple had me bopping about in my room.
I've found lots of good stuff which I'm going to listen to again today then post my highlights this afternoon. Be sure to give them a visit, say hi. :-)
Oh yes, my life is over. I discovered Second Life. Oh my god, I thought "Ahh, it's not that great, just a social media thing" 7 hours later I was wondering where the hell my day went. I was in music venues, bars, I went shopping for clothes and I met musicans who actually gig in Second Life!?! I'm sorry if I sound like I luddite but that blows me away. And the fact that people make money there (real money). I'm going to look into this further if there's any scope to tie in what I do here with some kind of second life area. Luckily I can listen to demos whilst titting around in Second Life.
Anyway, I've also been looking at the new groups you've been forming all over the place. I will feature one on the label blogs as I find it fascinating how people quickly establish roots and similar artists/personalities are drawn in. I think I might try and get a couple of posting groups together.
I'm talking with my mate at Vox today hopefully as I want to get some data together and there's something I want to run past you. I was thinking about maybe compiling some kind of chart for the community. Who's getting the most plays, most visits to site, biggest content creator, highest new entry and that kind of thing. I've got on my soapbox before about not wanting to add any competative element but many of you have asked to know how your doing as regards traffic as you're wanting to use your blog to communicate with fans aswell as us.
If you hate the idea then fair enough, I'll think of something else internally perhaps but as always you're feedback helps me a lot.
Keep the messages and posts coming in. All looking good. More to follow this afternoon.
IB
PS. I'm also working on something REALLY good that I think you'll love. :-)
